Happy Birthday: Richard Harris (1930–2002)

I came to England first in 1954 looking for a bedsit, a room to sleep in while going to my academy. And outside the Earl’s Court tube station there was a little tobacco-list and paper shop and they had a board. A glass-filled in board with rooms for rent. And I saw one for thirteen shillings a week and it said, “No Irishmen or black need apply” and I took my jersey and I put it down over my hand and I put my hand right through the glass and I took it out and I kept it for the rest of my life. That’s how we were treated here in 1954. That would cause me grievance. That would cause me anger.